Of Broken Time Streams
by WingedFlight
Summary: Traversing a doomed timeline is easier with a friend. Two-shot featuring doomed!Rose and doomed!Dave.
1. Broken

**Title: **Of Broken Time Streams

**Rating:** K

**Warning/Spoilers: **Takes place in the doomed timeline that Davesprite originates from.

**Summary:** Traversing a doomed timeline is easier with a friend. Two-shot featuring doomed!Rose and doomed!Dave.

**A/N:** Recently read through Homestuck and had written these two one-shots before I'd even gotten through it all. Dialogue is in proper Homestuck style, albeit without text colours. (If you would like to see the fic in all the glory of coloured dialogue, feel free to head over to my LJ - link on my profile.)

**-x-**

****_part one: broken_

__**-x-**

The broken end of his blade is sharp enough to cut the tip of his finger, sharp enough that it doesn't even hurt when it slides through the skin. Dave pulls his hand away and sucks at the bead of blood. Once, he'd begrudged the fact that his Strife Syllabus was only 1/2 Swordkind. Not anymore. It feels right to wield a broken sword in a broken timeline. Kinda cool, in a subtle, sort-of ironic way.

He's standing on the edge of a disk overlooking the lake of lava. Above him hovers the faint impression of his second gate. It looks like an afterimage that comes from staring at a bright light for too long. He'd tried it before, back when Rose believed there might still be a way to advance through the gates even though Jade hadn't made it through. It didn't work.

Rose's pesterlog icon is blinking in the corner of his custom iphone-sunglasses, giving him a headache. He opens the chat.

**TT: I'm still unsure about this so-called plan you've come up with.**

**TG: so you've said**

**TG: have you come up with a different plan yet?**

**TG: i think not.**

She doesn't answer right away. Dave hears the scratching of claws-on-metal and whirls around to dispatch the unfortunate imp. Three pieces of grist clink on the ground.

**TT: If we're going to do this, then, we'll have to do it properly.**

**TG: what's proper about time travel? **

**TT: Seriously? **

**TT: Well, for one, we should know exactly when we're aiming for.**

**TG: obviously**

Another imp. Again, so easy to deal with. Dave feels as though he's been doing nothing but fight these things since he got here.

**TT: I mean, we should put some thought into deciding exactly when would be the most suitable destination for changing events. **

**TG: oh yeah**

**TG: that's actually a good idea**

**TT: I do have those occasionally.**

There's another disk-ledge jutting out from beneath the one he's currently on. Dave peers over the side and, unable to spot any imps, jumps down. The metal rings on impact and his ankle hurts a little but he ignores it.

**TT: I also realize you wish to travel back as soon as possible.**

**TG: don't say it**

**TG: don't**

**TG: no no nonono**

The disk is just far enough below the first that he can walk beneath without hitting his head, although it is close. There isn't a sign of the imps here, but he holds his half sword to the ready, in any case. No sense getting caught off guard.

**TT: I just mean that perhaps it would be wise if we advanced in our echeladders and learned as much as possible about the Medium before travelling back.**

**TG: arrrrgggg**

**TT: I hate to admit it but our sprites are really too fond of riddles to be of much use. **

Interesting. There seems to be another disk beneath this one that juts out on the other side so it would be hidden from sight when standing on the top platform.

**TG: arrrg noooo**

**TG: but**

**TG: i guess **

**TG: there are still some things we can learn here**

He prepares to jump down to the next ledge, wondering if it leads anywhere in particular or if he's simply going to have a difficult time making his way back up.

**TG: enjoy it while it lasts**

He lands with a roll to avoid his sore ankle. As he comes up, the first thing Dave sees is a grinning imp.

**TT: Enjoy what? This doomed timeline we occupy? **

He cuts the imp down without a second thought. Really, they're not even a threat anymore. Just annoying little obstacles in his quest from point A to point B.

**TG: that i'm agreeing to one of your plans duh**

He really shouldn't have thought that. Almost as soon as he's picked up the last of the grist, the entire disk shudders. A giant hand has appeared on the edge of the platform and appears to be pulling up an equally massive body. Dave rolls his eyes and tests the end of his trusty half-sword. The sight of his blood makes him wince. He really needs to stop doing that.


	2. Streams

**-x-**

_part two: streams_**  
**

__**-x-**

The light refracts through the streams of falling raindrops, creating the illusion that the rainbow originates in the water. Rose sits on the end of the dock, swirling the sea with the toe of her runner. The colours wind among each other, entwined with secrets she cannot decode.

Dave is pestering her again. Rose sighs but opens the pesterlog.

**TG: where are you?**

**TG: have you made it to the gate yet?**

**TG: please tell me it's still all colourful and stuff**

**TG: rose? **

**TT: Yes, I have arrived at the gate.**

Rose kicks at the water a little. When she tips her head back, she can see the gate circling above.

**TG: what's happening?**

**TT: Nothing, as of this moment. **

**TG: it's not working? **

She rolls her eyes at his panic. One of the clouds is drifting near, bringing with it a stream of gleaming rain that will soon pass over her. Rose retrieves her umbrella from her syllabus.

**TT: I have not yet attempted to pass through the second gate. **

**TT: I do not predict any immediate problems, however, as the destination is still available. **

**TG: k good.**

**TT: Unless you have done something to your house of which I was not aware? **

**TG: yeah no, it's good. **

The rain makes a pattering sound as it hits the umbrella. Rose holds a hand out and lets the water fall into her palm and spill through her fingers.

**TG: uh**

**TG: so are you planning on coming through anytime soon or…? **

**TG: oh god you're having second thoughts**

**TG: now is not the time for second thoughts**

What does he want her to say? That she isn't afraid to leave the world that is attuned to her very being? That she isn't still worried their entire plan will be for naught? That she isn't terrified that travelling back will merely cause a permanent time loop of doom?

Then again, maybe he's right. She does think too much.

**TT: All right. Hold on to any equine in your possession. I'm on my way. **

She waits until the shower has passed over before captchalogueing the umbrella once more. The gate is not too far from the ground, although it is higher than she could think to jump. It doesn't matter; she's had plenty of time to consider every option for this eventuality. She removes a ladder from her syllabus and sets it up beneath the gate. Perfect.

For an action this decisive, it feels terribly anti-climatic to simply walk up the steps and jump into the gate. Nevertheless, this is what she does.

A blast of air roars in her ears and the blinding white light overwhelms her eyes. She is rising and falling at once, every atom torn apart and reknit as she plummets to her new location.

It hurts. She hadn't realized it would hurt so much to take the second gate. Then again, she is the first of their ill-fated team to travel through to another's medium. Rose picks herself up off the hard floor and runs a quick analysis to make sure she hasn't lost any crucial body parts or mutated in some way. Once she has ascertained to the best of her ability that she is still herself, she runs through her syllabus. It appears her equipment remains intact.

**TT: I'm through. **

**TG: k awesome**

**TG: i'm just down a level taking care of some imps i'll be right there**

She has been playing this game with Dave for the past four months and they had known each other for much longer before that. Yet, this will be the first time they meet face to face. Rose had heard that such encounters tend to begin with an immensely awkward interaction. She hopes this will not be the case now; there really isn't the time to waste on such frivolities.

**TT: How long is this going to take? **

**TT: Dave? **

**TT: I'm not inclined to wait on the rooftop if you don't show up right away. I'm coming down. **

It's a good thing she decided not to wait. Rose isn't halfway down the first set of steps when the first two imps leap toward her. In a flash, she has her needle-wands at the ready. It's a minor consolation that the imps do not appear any different in Dave's medium than her own. They are just as easy to take care of, too.

She spots Dave at the foot of the steps just as the second imp dissolves into grist. Rose races down to join them and then she and Dave are battling back to back as wave after wave of imps attack.

Dave lets out a laugh.

**TG: welcome to my palace!**

Rose strikes down an imp with a blast from her wand.

**TT: Are the imps usually so numerous? **

**TG: oh god you speak like you type**

His sword flashes in the air at her side.

**TG: but uh, no. **

**TG: maybe it's cause you're here**

**TT: That is - **

She jabs at another imp.

**TT: - a likely presumption. **

From the corner of her eye, she sees Dave retrieve two small disks from his syllabus.

**TT: Not now!**

**TG: god calm down i'm just - **

And suddenly there is another Dave on her left who joins the fight.

**TG: - giving us a little help. **

With the help of the second Dave, they clear the platform of imps. Rose leaps forward to gather up as much grist as possible during the reprieve just as the original Dave flickers out of sight. The remaining Dave grins.

**TG: time to go**

He waits for her to start back up the steps. Rose clutches her wands tight and dashes upward, pausing once just to make sure Dave is behind her. He's close on her heels, but the imps are already surging onto the platform once more.

**TT: Hurry!**

**TG: no i think i'll slow down thanks**

And then she's reached the top of the stairs and Dave pulls up beside her as they race across the top platform. The gate gleams just overhead.

**TG: i still think we should just go back now**

She rolls her eyes.

**TT: We'll be back soon enough. **

**TT: Wait until we've gone over the plan once more, at least. **

**TG: you are impossible**

Before she can give a retort, Dave leaps for the gate and vanishes in a sharp blast of light. Rose takes a deep breath, gathers her energy, and jumps.


End file.
